Albany city leaders reinstate building, electric permit fees

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Dougherty County storm victims and contractors will now have to pay for their permits to repair storm damage.

The Planning, Development Services and Code Enforcement suspended permit fees for Albany and Dougherty County residents to aid in the January storm recovery efforts in recent months but that offer ended on Wednesday.

The department issued 1,082 building permits for the January 2nd storm, and 788 for January 22nd storm, which is more permits than all of 2016.

These figures don't include the more than 1500 electrical permits issued for storm repairs.

The total number of permits come to a construction value of $36 million in rebuilding efforts.

"It was an event that wasn't planned for so we wouldn't have expect to get that revenue any way. But it's something that the city and county thought we needed to do because it's a small measure but it helped the citizens out with their rebuilding efforts," said Planning, Development Services and Code Enforcement Director Paul Forgey.

With the free period now over, Albany and Dougherty County storm victims again have to pay for permits.

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